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Image credit: imago
Imago
Image credit: imago
For years, Coco Gauff has borne the towering comparisons to icons Serena Williams and Venus Williams, her rise fueled by fearless brilliance and a breakthrough that shook Wimbledon. Now, the narrative shifts as teenage sensation Iva Jovic, once mentored by Novak Djokovic, steps into the glare. With Sam Querrey drawing bold comparisons, the sport braces for another generational storm.
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During a recent episode of the ‘Nothing Major Show’, Sam Querrey spoke alongside former professionals John Isner and Steve Johnson. Querrey shared that Jovic reminds him of a young Coco Gauff. He focused not only on her game but also on her composure and personality.
“The way she speaks and talks reminds me of, like, Coco Gauff a little bit. The way Coco handled herself at 16-17 years old. Iva, kind of like I feel like there’s some comparisons, the way they conduct themselves off the court,” he said.
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He highlighted their shared traits, including calm mentality, confidence both on and off the court, and overall composure. These qualities, according to Querrey, set Jovic apart early in her career.
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WTA, Tennis Damen GUADALAJARA 250 OPEN WTA GUADALAJARA 250 OPEN KAWA VS JOVIC 08092025 GUADALAJARA, JALISCO Action photo of Iva Jovic of the USA, during day 1 the WTA Guadalajara 250 Open, held at the Centro Panamericano de Tenis of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico. Foto de accion de Iva Jovic de Estados Unidos, durante el dia 1 del WTA Guadalajara 250 Open, celebrado en el Centro Panamericano de Tenis de Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico PHOTO BY IMAGENSHOP AGENCIA FOTOGRAFICA GUADALAJARA JALISCO MEXICO *** WTA GUADALAJARA 250 OPEN WTA GUADALAJARA 250 OPEN KAWA VS JOVIC 08092025 GUADALAJARA, JALISCO Action photo of Iva Jovic of the USA, during day 1 the WTA Guadalajara 250 Open, held at the Centro Panamericano de Tenis of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico Action photo of Iva Jovic of the USA, during day 1 the WTA Guadalajara 250 Open, held at the Centro Panamericano de Tenis of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico PHOTO BY IMAGENSHOP AGENCIA FOTOGRAFICA GUADALAJARA JALISCO MEXICO Copyright: xIMAGENSHOPxAGENCIAxFOTOGRAFICAx
After finishing her campaigns at the Indian Wells Masters and the Miami Open, Jovic entered the Charleston Open. The event, sponsored by Credit One Bank, featured strong competition.
She competed at the LTP Daniel Island Tennis Center as the fourth seed. Her run included wins over Alycia Parks, Sofia Kenin, and Anna Kalinskaya. Jovic advanced to the semifinals before losing to eventual champion Jessica Pegula. Even in defeat, her performance stood out.
She also delivered notable performances at the Australian Open, the Hobart International, and the ASB Classic. Her consistency across events reflected her growing presence on tour.
Her confidence and maturity, despite being just 18, earned widespread admiration. Many observers pointed to her ability to handle pressure situations with composure.
In another January episode of the same show, Querrey again spoke about her rapid rise. He emphasized the power she generates despite her physical frame.
“Iva Jovic looks good. Iva, like you guys know her, she’s not that big, right? Just physically compared to a lot of the girls in the top 10, but she packs a punch.” He further added, “She hits the absolute c––– out of the ball and she looked great in her first-round match.”
Isner also weighed in that time, praising her momentum and preparation. “And she [Jovic] came into the tournament [AO] with a lot of confidence, obviously playing extremely well in the warm-up events, and she also played a lot of tournaments at the end of the year. She played like a Challenger in November at the end of the year in Austin, Texas, if I’m not mistaken, to make sure she got seeded at the Australian Open. So she’s coming into this with just so much confidence, she’s a lot of fun to watch.”
Querrey then compared her style to Agnieszka Radwańska, the former world number two and 2012 Wimbledon finalist. Isner agreed immediately, saying, “Yes, Radwanska! That’s the exact person she reminds me of.”
As comparisons continue to grow, Jovic’s rise is drawing increasing attention. Interestingly, even Gauff herself has recently shared her thoughts on the emerging star.
Coco Gauff opens up about her bond with Iva Jovic
The 18-year-old American Iva Jovic made a stunning run to her first Grand Slam quarterfinal at the Australian Open in January. With that achievement, she became the youngest American woman to reach the last eight in Melbourne since Venus Williams in 1998.
Her rise had already begun earlier when she claimed her first WTA title in Guadalajara last September. At just 17, she became the youngest champion on the women’s tour since Coco Gauff won Parma in 2021.
Jovic’s growth has been rapid, and her mindset reflects that evolution. She described her journey as both expected and unexpected at the same time. Ambitious and composed, she continues to show maturity beyond her age. Her confidence has been a defining trait throughout her breakthrough run.
Even Gauff has taken notice of the young American’s rise. She shared her thoughts on Jovic during the Australian Open this year.
“I have talked to Iva a couple of times. I have never talked to her about advice or anything. I feel like she has such a good head on her shoulders. I don’t think she needs that,” Coco added.
“I always make a conscious effort, even though I didn’t know her that well, but in Cincinnati, I tried to talk to her,” she added. However, despite the growing attention, Jovic remains grounded about her position on tour. She understands that she is still learning and developing with every tournament.
“I think there’s like a maturity level. Obviously, I’m young, but I think in certain ways I’m more mature than some of the people my age,” she said recently.
Now representing Team USA at the Billie Jean King Cup, expectations continue to rise as the tennis world watches her next steps closely.
